Off-duty Coxsackie officer accused of threatening man with gun

A 45-year-old off-duty Coxsackie police officer was charged with felony weapons possession and menacing early Sunday after threatening an acquaintance with a loaded handgun on North Pearl Street, police said.

Kenneth Rosimini, of Ravena, was arrested around 3:45 a.m. Sunday after officers were summoned to North Pearl and Sheridan Avenue for a report of a man with a gun, Officer Steven Smith, a police department spokesman, said. At the scene, officers found Rosimini with the loaded .380-caliber handgun tucked into his back pocket, Smith said.

Smith said Rosimini is believed to have been visiting North Pearl Street restaurants and bars at the time of his arrest. Rosimini was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony, and second-degree menacing, a misdemeanor, police said. He was arraigned Monday morning in City Court and released on $5,000 bail, Smith said.

Rosimini is a part-time officer with the Greene County village but has been out of work due to an injury since March, Mayor Mark Evans said. Evans said he was aware of Rosimini’s arrest but declined further comment on the matter.

If the lawmakers want to make more laws, how about requiring the municipalities that have part-time officers, go through the same process as the full-time civil service officers? As it stands right now, any town or village can swear someone in as an officer, the only requirement is the officer must attend a certification basic course. Yes, the part-time officer recieves the same training, but where the loophole exists, is the part-time officer doesn’t have to be subjected to physical and pyschological testing that civil service officers do. Obviously, the municipalities who hire officers that work full-time in other departments who are civil service, wouldn’t need to do this testing. The problem is, a person who may not have been able to pass the entrance exam or failed the other civil service requirements, could walk into a department that hires part-time officers and get hired without going through that process. There is a reason this testing and process exists. A person with some serious defects could be wearing a badge and a gun. It is understandable that some smaller jurisdictions benefit from hiring part-time officers, but most of them work full-time at other well-trained departments. The state should really review this situation before someone gets hurt or worse.

Rosimini can call former Coxsackie PD Officer Brian Lutz for advice! They both have disgraced the badge; but Lutzy can give “Rosi” some advice as to how to get back on the job. Thanks for tarnishing our image boys (kids?). Shame on you…